Related Articles

If you want to take a vacation in China without having to plan and arrange all the details of your itinerary, accommodations and transport, consider taking an all-inclusive tour. Not only will you benefit from an entirely pre-planned vacation, you will enjoy professional guidance and expert local knowledge throughout the journey. With a destination as vast and varied as China, there is a large variety all-inclusive vacations to choose from, each with a different style and focus.

Discovery Adventures’ “Classic China Adventure”

(877) 277-9847The “Classic China Adventure” with Discovery Adventures is an eight-day trip beginning in Beijing and ending in Shanghai. The tour highlights some of China’s most-famous sights, including the Great Wall of China and the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. See an evening martial arts performance by the monks of Shaolin in Beijing, tour the Temple of Heaven, Wild Goose Pagoda and Muslim Quarter of Xi’an, enjoy a leisurely boat ride on the West Lake in Hangzhou, and tour the famous Bund district of Shanghai. All your accommodations are included, consisting of six nights in comfortable hotels and one night spent on a sleeper train while traveling from Beijing to Xi’an. Other modes of transport include mini-buses, small canal boats (for peaceful floating through Wuzhen Canal Town) and local flights. Seven breakfasts, three lunches and four dinners are also included. Discovery Adventures (877) 277-9847 discoveryadventures.com

Adventure Center’s “Kung Fu &amp; Pandas”

This 10-day tour, offered by the specialist adventure tour company Adventure Center, is designed specifically for families and includes special activities for children. In addition to traditional tours of the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City in Beijing and a Kung Fu demonstration at the Shaolin Temple, the whole family will fly kites in Tianamen Square, visit the Children’s Palace in Shanghai and ride on a dragon boat in Kunming Lake. The highlight of this trip for any animal lover is the chance to see giant pandas at the research and breeding center in Chengdu. You also have some free time to pursue your own choice of activities in Shanghai. The price of the tour includes hotel accommodations, tour guides, transport (local flights and trains) and entrance fees for sightseeing. Eight breakfasts and one dinner are included also. You must obtain your own visa, international flights and mandatory travel insurance. Adventure Center 1311 63rd St., Suite 200 Emeryville, CA 94608 800-228-8747 adventurecenter.com

The Sierra Club’s “Across China on the Silk Road”

This 20-day adventure follows the ancient, 2,000-mile-long path of the Silk Road from Xian in the east to Kashgar near the western border of China. During the journey you’ll cover long distances on planes, trains and comfortable buses, with all meals, lodging in three- and four-star hotels, gratuities and in-country transportation provided for you. Stops between Xian and Kashgar include the cities of Lanzhou; Jiayuguan in the Gobi Desert; Dunhuang, a 2,000-year-old desert town; the agricultural hub of Turpan; medieval Kashgar, which is famous for its huge farmers’ market; then Beijing for more touring before departure. This vacation focuses on cultural sites, including Buddhist grottoes and caves, sections of the Great Wall of China, ancient tombs, mosques and bazaars. You will meet people from China’s numerous ethnic minority groups and enjoy local cuisine including lunch at a farmer’s home near the Yangguan Pass. This vacation is long, fairly active and includes some long travel times such as five-hour-long drives and overnight train trips. Sierra Club 85 Second Street, 2nd Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 415-977-5500 sierraclub.org/outings

References

About the Author

A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.